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Home Page -> About Bone Clones Inc.
About Bone ClonesŪ ABOUT BONE CLONES INC.
Much has happened in the world of replicating skulls and skeletons since Bone ClonesŪ began in 1993, but one thing hasn't changed and that is our commitment to accuracy and quality. In our first year of business we coined the phrase "virtually indistinguishable from the original" and it remains our motto. When we started "cloning from real to resin" many wondered whether replicas would be accepted because they would not look "real". They commented that the few zoological replicas available were not convincing and broke easily. That became our first challenge: to make a reproduction so faithful to the original that it was, in fact, difficult to distinguish between them, and at the same make it durable. Many years later we are pleased that Bone ClonesŪ (the brand) has been so well accepted and used regularly in a variety of educational disciplines from anthropology to zoology. We are often told that educators now prefer, for a variety of reasons, to use replicas over natural bone and that Bone ClonesŪ (if we may boast for a moment) were the catalyst for that change. When looking to purchase the best quality and detail in a cast of a human or animal skull or skeleton, whether extant or extinct, make sure it is a BONE CLONESŪ cast. Each year Bone Clones, Inc. has explored new territory. In the beginning we reproduced primarily animal skulls, our very first being a Gorilla skull (BC-001.) After the success of our initial launchings, our customers began to ask for specific replicas they would like to see us do. Since then, we have been going where our customers have directed us to go. From the history of man in the fossil record, to evidence of trauma and pathology imbedded in the bones of modern man, from the extant to the extinct in the animal world, from the obvious to the obscure in nature - we continue to explore ways to present the information left on the bones in such accurate detail that significant knowledge can be gained from it. Because we want Bone ClonesŪ to be the outstanding example of any particular skull or skeleton, we always seek the best originals to work from. In the case of fossil hominids, we research and re-create based on casts made from original fossils, the latest literature and full color, life size photographs, or some combination of those materials available to the general public. All products are hand crafted by a skilled crew in our facilities in Southern California. Using proprietary techniques for prepping and making a mold of the original material and custom- formulated polyurethane resin, we cast the finest replicas available. The final step of coloring the piece to replicate that of the original is done by our expertly trained painters. Then, of course, it proceeds to our quality control department where each cast is inspected in the minutest detail. We wish to thank the many individuals and institutions that lend Bone Clones, Inc. original material to cast, and our customers who encourage us to press forward and who are not shy in telling us in what direction. As always, we wish to thank our staff who demonstrates uncommon dedication in the pursuit of excellence. To Learn More About Bone Clones Procedure and Other Company Information, Click Here. OUR MISSION
Since our inception, our mission has been to produce skulls and skeletons that are "virtually indistinguishable from the original."TM Replicating the minute anatomical details and capturing the gross structures as faithfully as possible have been the goals of Bone Clones® from the beginning. As we expanded our product line from animals to fossils and humans, we continued to apply this criteria to each piece that we cast. Quality is an essential component of Bone Clones®, and we have many procedures in place to assure that we maintain the high standards we have set for ourselves and that customers expect. This commitment to quality is coupled with our interest in responding to the needs of educators striving to provide quality education to their students. Bone Clones shares with these professionals the desire to impart knowledge on the highest level possible and has concentrated its resources on developing outstanding osteological reproductions of human, fossil and animal skeletal structures. We routinely consult with experts involved in teaching Anatomy, Anthropology, Forensics, Paleontology and Zoology. We have developed proprietary processes, refined our production procedures, used the best originals available, inspect our product carefully, and still continually strive to bring you the very best in all that we do. Bone Clones® is a trademark of Bone Clones, Inc. Our trademark is a guarantee that a great deal of care and thought has gone into the development and production of each cast. Bone Clones® stands for our commitment to excellence. Choosing an Original Specimen
The importance of the original.... We thought we would talk a little about how we select specimens to cast because aside from the quality of the casting technique, the quality of the original determines the final outcome. Bone ClonesŪ began as Kronen Osteo, a company that for many years specialized in preparing natural bone skulls and skeletons for education and museum exhibits. As such, we had access to many fine specimens and in 1993 began Bone ClonesŪ. The purpose was to make available to a larger public casts of skulls and skeletons that would be faithful to the original. To find a good quality original we assess various characteristics like size, dentition, age, and general condition of the bone elements of the skull (or skeleton). We often search for years to find an original that meets our exacting standards, and are often aided by Museum collections as well as private collectors. This way we can bring you the best representation of any particular species. After locating an original that meets our criteria for casting, we apply our unique techniques to preparing it for the molding process, a step that is also very important in determining the appearance and scientific accuracy of the reproduction. How the nasal passages, for example, and other fine features are replicated depend on this time consuming and meticulous prepping procedure. Once prepped, a mold (or impression) is made of the original. Our custom formulated resin is then poured into these molds and once the piece has solidified, it is an exact copy of the original. Next we finish each replica duplicating the subtle structures and scientific detail of natural and fossilized bone. In the final steps we reproduce the complex patterns and colors of the originals. Superior quality is built into Bone Clones® in the very first step of the process - the selection of the original material - and then proceed with care and skill to achieve the best possible replicas, with attention to subtle details of appearance, texture and weight. About Our Hominids
The Bone ClonesŪ Hominid Series began as a response to our customers' requests for more accurate recreations than were available. Since casts from original skulls were hard to come by, we commissioned a team of anatomical sculptors to re-create a series fossil hominids. Given the plethora of existing information and exciting new finds, it was difficult to choose which to produce. Our decision was based partly on those skulls that we felt would be of particular interest to the educational community, and which would represent the most important finds and various time periods of hominid evolution. We continue our effort to sculpt new finds as they occur, leaving time for original papers to be published and enough scientific data to be obtained so we may re-create our casts as precisely as we are able. Each hominid is carefully researched and re-created based on casts made from the original fossils, the latest literature and full color, life-size photographs, or some combination thereof. All of our Bone ClonesŪ hominids are produced with a custom formulated, high grade, polyurethane resin, which simulates the subtle delicacy of natural bone, yet is extremely durable and resists breakage and chipping. Every effort was made to re-create anatomical details of color, size, shape, reconstructed areas, and bone/fossil texture. The hominids offered in this series are high quality, artistic recreations that can be advantageously used by educators as important visual aids in the classroom. They are not intended for advanced graduate work or to be measured for research purposes. Special thanks to our paleoanthropologist consultants Dr. Bruce Gelvin of Cal State Univ. Northridge and Dr. Joseph Miller of UCLA. We welcome any comments and requests as we plan to continue improving our Bone ClonesŪ Hominid Series, adding hominids from time to time.
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